town of Rochester is seen, and a short distance below it the Charnet formed by the confluence of two moorland streams, near Leek, pours its waters into those of the Dove. Arriving at Uttoxeter, the vale expands greatly on each side of the tiver. As it approaches Sudbury, however, the banks are again enveloped by the wild wooded hills of Needwood forest and the ancient domain of Lord Vernon. Once more the hills recede and exhibit an open plain, distinguished only by the bold eminence on which the celebrated ruins of Tutbury castle present themselves with venerable pride to the view of the traveller. Meandering round the base of this hill, the river soon after falls into the Trent, being first intersected by the canals of this county between which and Derbyshire it forms the boundary during the whole of its course.

The Tame is another river of considerable size flowing into the Trent during its passage through this county. It springs from several sources in the vicinity of Walsall and Coleshill which latter place forms a portion of an isolated district, of Warwickshire; proceeding from hence it takes at first, a direction almost directly east, entering Warwickshire near Aston juxta Birmingham. Here it begins to bend more to the north, and at last flows decidedly in that direction through Tamwor that which place it again enters Staffordshire. The banks of this river are much less fruitful in scenery than the rivers hitherto described. Its junction with the Trent takes place at the point where that river reaches the confines of Derbyshire. The Tame derives its name from the nature of its stream which is exceedingly slow and placid.

The Blythe which falls into the Trent near Kings Bromley may also be reckoned among the more considerable rivers of this county. It rises in the neighbourhood of Watley Moor in the northern district. Its line of direction is nearly parallel to the Trent. No scenery worthy of particular notice, except Lord Bagot's seat, and the finely wooded park of Blithefield, is found to decorate its banks. The Sow from Eccleshall, and the VOL. XIII. A a a Penk,

Penk, from the vicinity of Somerford, forming a junction below Stafford, proceed together to Tixall, where they likewise precipitate themselves into the Trent.

The other rivers of Staffordshire, deserving notice in this work, and not pouring their waters into the Trent, are the Stour, and the Dane. The former, which rises in Warwickshire, may be considered by some as properly belonging to that county. The latter has its origin near the source of the Dove; but flowing in an opposite direction, becomes the boundary betweenthis county and Cheshire for upwards of ten miles.

CANALS. The deficiency of navigable rivers in Staffordshire, and the disadvantages of an inland situation under such circumstances for the purposes of trade, are amply counterbalanced by the number and extent of its canals. Indeed, no district per haps in the world is more nobly supplied with this cheap and easy method, of distributing its own productions, and receiving those of others, than the county we are now describing. To detail the numerous benefits arising from canals, even did the limits of our work permit it, would be a mere waste of time and patience, as we presume every individual, who pretends to reason on commercial questions, is already aware of them. We shall content ourselves, therefore, with simply observing in regard to this point, that without the aid of artificial navigation it would be impossible that the interior portions of the country. could participate in the advantages arising from our foreign trade, or contribute much for the purposes of exportation.

The Grand Trunk Canal, so called in reference to the analogy subsisting between its relative situation, and that of the main artery of the human body, to the lesser branches, was planned and executed, to the period of his death, by the celebrated Mr. Brindley. This great engineer, whose genius alone, unaided by education, raised him to the highest distinetion, in a profession for which he was not originally designed had previously been engaged by the duke of Bridgewater in the construction of those canals which have rendered the name

of that nobleman so eminent in the history of this species of navigation. When the corporation of Liverpool, therefore, employed Mr. Taylor of Manchester, and Mr Eyes of Liverpool, to take surveys with the view of determining the practicability of opening a free communication, between the Humber and the Mersey, Mr. Brindley entered upon a similar project under the patronage of the marquis of Stafford and lord Anson. The two plans being laid before the public, both were found to agree in the practicability of the scheme, but differed very materially in the line of direction to be followed, and the manner of putting them into execution. The former gentlemen proposed to terminate the canal in the navigable river Weaver at Winsford bridge, and the latter, in the duke of Bridgewater's canal at Preston-brook. Mr. Brindley's plan was preferred apparently on reasonable grounds, as it afforded a direct communication with Manchester without the intervention of a single lock.*

By the grand trunk navigation, the three ports of Bristol, Liverpool, and Hull, are united. After crossing Cheshire, it enters this county near Lawton. At a short distance from thence is the Harecastle tunnel, where the canal runs under ground for more than a mile. From this place it proceeds by Newcastle, Stone, and Weston, through many other intermediate towns and villages, into the Trent at Wilden, in Derbyshire. In its passage through Staffordshire, this canal generally follows a course parallel to that river, which it intersects at different points. The whole extent of the main trunk is 91 miles. From its greatest elevation at Harecastle the fall of water on the northern side is 326 feet, and on the southern 316. The former part is furnished with 35 locks, and the latter with 40. The common breadth of this canal is 29 feet at the top, and 16 at the bottom, and the usual depth is four feet and a half. In the part from Wilden to Burton, however, and from Middlewich to Preston on the hill, it is 31 feet broad at the top, 18 at the bottom, and five and a half feet in depth.

Aaa 2

Aikin's History of Manchester, p. 117, 118.

The

The chief branch leading from this canal, strikes off at Hay wood, near the confluence of the Sow with the river Trent In its way to the Severn, which it joins not far from Bewdley, it flows past the towns of Penkridge, and Wolverhampton. The Coventry and Oxford canal leaves the Grand Trunk at Fradley-heath, and proceeds by Whittington, to Fazeley. Near the latter place a cut is made, which runs to Birmingham and the collieries in the neighbourhood of Wednesbury. The Wirley and Essington canal commences at a place called Wirley Bark, and passes through the Oldfield, over Essington-wood, and Snead commons, across the road from Wednesfield to Bloxwich. From hence it goes on the south side of the town, in a direct line to Birchill. It likewise passes through Lanehead, in the neighbourhood of Perry Hall, to Wednesfield, where it joins the Birmingham canal. The branches are one from near Wolverhampton to Stow-heath, another into Ashmore park, which runs off at Poole Hayes, and a third likewise, going into Ashmore park from Lapley Hayes.

The Birmingham canal begins at Birmingham, and proceeds to Wilsden Green and Smethwick, by Blue Gates, West Bromwich, Oldbury, Church Lane, Tipton, and Bilston, through Wolverhampton and thence into the Staffordshire and Worcester canal, being altogether a course of 22 miles. Out of this canal, a cut or branch passes over Ryders Green to the collieries of Wednesbury. Another commences about a mile from the town of Dudley, near the engines which are next Netherton Hall, and runs across Knowle Brook, along Dudley, Woodside, through Urchill coppice, and Brierly hill coppice, to Blackdelft. Taking a large circuit round the church of Brierly-hill, it crosses Brittle Eane, and falls into a canal on the left of Brockmore Green, which arises in a large reservoir of water at Pensetts chace. It thence passes almost in a straight line to Wordsley, over the high-road from Stourbridge to Hampton, and across the river Stour, into the Severn and Trent junction canal. At the elbow and confluence of the Stour

with the Smestall, not far from Stourton, another branch goes off to the left, by Woollaston, Holloway and Sots Hole, and thence into the river Stour at the extremity of the town of Stourbridge.

Sir Nigel Gresley's canal extends from the Grand Trunk, at Newcastle-under-line, to the coal-mines in Apedale. The proprietors became bound by the act, granted in 1775, enabling them to form it, to deliver coals at Newcastle-under-line at the price of five shillings per ton, for the period of twenty-one years, and at five and six-pence, for a similar term further. They are empowered to make as many new cuts as may be requisite for the use of the collieries. A constant stock must be kept at their wharf, near the town above mentioned.

At Huddlesford, a branch has been extended from the Coventry canal, by Brown hills over Cannock-heath, to join the Wirley and Essington canal. On the west-side of Cannockheath, a smaller branch goes to the south by Walsall wood to the lime-works at Hayhead. The whole length of this extensive canal, and its branches, is thirty four miles and a half, having two hundred and sixty-four feet fall from Cannock to Huddlesford. The canal, which connects the Dudley canal with that of Birmingham, is called the Dudley extension canal. It runs off from the Dudley canal near Netherton, and making a bend to the south-west, to avoid the high ground, arrives at Windmill End. Here it takes a south-east direction, passes through Comes Wood, by Hales Owen, at the foot of the Leasowes, rendered so celebrated by the taste and muse of Shenstone. The course of this canal is ten miles and five furlongs, in which short course, there are two tunnels, one at Combes wood, and another at Hales Owen. The latter is nearly two

miles in length.

LAKES and SPRINGS. The lakes of this county are neither numerous, nor of much importance. The principal one is that of Aquelate, which measures 1848 yards in length, and 672 in breadth. Ladford Pool is said to comprehend about sixty